4,632 first-hand accounts of flood events in Iowa, ranked by impact. Each is a NOAA-written narrative of the moment.
Thunderstorms with extremely heavy rain developed along a stationary front and moved from northeast Iowa into northwest Illinois. Some locations measured 5 to 7 inches of rainfall, causing localized flash flooding and pushing numerous creeks out of their banks.
Read the full account →Moisture was drawn north into Iowa during the overnight hours of the 6th into the 7th. The freezing level rose to around 14,500 feet as precipitable water rose to 1.5 to 2 inches.
Read the full account →An unstable and very moist atmosphere was in place across Iowa with numerous boundaries across the region. Precipitable water was around 1.8 inches. About 3000 J/kg of CAPE was available, but severe parameters were relatively weak.
Read the full account →A large convective complex developed to the northwest of Iowa during the night of the 12th into the morning of the 13th. Precipitable water values were very high, in excess of 2.1 inches over Minnesota.
Read the full account →A low pressure area tracked east out of South Dakota during the afternoon and evening. A warm front extending from the low across west central into southeast Iowa lifted north with thunderstorm development during the afternoon.
Read the full account →A low pressure area tracked east out of South Dakota during the afternoon and evening. A warm front extending from the low across west central into southeast Iowa lifted north with thunderstorm development during the afternoon.
Read the full account →An unstable and very moist atmosphere was in place across Iowa with numerous boundaries across the region. Precipitable water was around 1.8 inches. About 3000 J/kg of CAPE was available, but severe parameters were relatively weak.
Read the full account →A warm front moved slowly north into Iowa during the overnight hours of the 28th into the 29th. The airmass became unstable as surface temperatures warmed into the low 80s, with dewpoints around 70 along and south of the front.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. The stationary front that had been south of the state over the past several days began to lift north and extended from southwest into east central Iowa on the afternoon of the 28th.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. The stationary front that had been south of the state over the past several days began to lift north and extended from southwest into east central Iowa on the afternoon of the 28th.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. The stationary front that had been south of the state over the past several days began to lift north and extended from southwest into east central Iowa on the afternoon of the 28th.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. The stationary front that had been south of the state over the past several days began to lift north and extended from southwest into east central Iowa on the afternoon of the 28th.
Read the full account →A strong warm front was in place across central Nebraska through northern Missouri. The front aloft bisected Iowa from northwest to southeast. A 35 kt low level jet was in place with strong moisture transport into the state.
Read the full account →A strong warm front was in place across central Nebraska through northern Missouri. The front aloft bisected Iowa from northwest to southeast. A 35 kt low level jet was in place with strong moisture transport into the state.
Read the full account →A strong warm front was in place across central Nebraska through northern Missouri. The front aloft bisected Iowa from northwest to southeast. A 35 kt low level jet was in place with strong moisture transport into the state.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. The stationary front that had been south of the state over the past several days began to lift north and extended from southwest into east central Iowa on the afternoon of the 28th.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. The stationary front that had been south of the state over the past several days began to lift north and extended from southwest into east central Iowa on the afternoon of the 28th.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. The stationary front that had been south of the state over the past several days began to lift north and extended from southwest into east central Iowa on the afternoon of the 28th.
Read the full account →Thunderstorms developed north of a warm front across northeast Iowa during the afternoon of June 14th. Initially, these storms produced some wind damage and large hail before they became heavy rain producers that led to flash flooding.
Read the full account →Thunderstorms developed north of a warm front across northeast Iowa during the afternoon of June 14th. Initially, these storms produced some wind damage and large hail before they became heavy rain producers that led to flash flooding.
Read the full account →Low pressure developed and strengthened over portions of central Nebraska and eastern Kansas through the day. The warm front moved up into southern Minnesota while the weakening cold front existed over eastern Nebraska, leaving much of Iowa within the unstable warm sector.
Read the full account →Low pressure developed and strengthened over portions of central Nebraska and eastern Kansas through the day. The warm front moved up into southern Minnesota while the weakening cold front existed over eastern Nebraska, leaving much of Iowa within the unstable warm sector.
Read the full account →A line of nocturnal storms blossomed across western and southwest Iowa, remaining relatively stationary for a couple hours before slowly moving eastward through the morning hours.
Read the full account →The wet weather conditions experienced during the month of May carried into June. Preliminary information provided by the State Climatologist Harry Hillaker, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, indicated a statewide rainfall average of 5.04 inches during the…
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